JPH0619310A - Toner supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent toner from overflowing a toner storing part by stopping a toner stirring member in the toner storing part perpendiculary to a horizontal surface in the case of supplying the toner to the toner storing part from a toner cartridge. CONSTITUTION:The toner supply device is obtained by providing an arm 3 integrally interlocking with the toner supplying aperture part 2 of the toner storing part 1 and a rib 4 turned clockwise with the rotation of the arm 3 so as to turn the toner stirring member 5 to the perpendicular position to the horizontal surface, or separately providing a detector which detects the rotating position of the member 5 and controls the rotation thereof in the toner storing part 1, so that the toner stirring member is always moved and stopped at the perpendicular position to the horizontal surface.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner replenishing device for replenishing toner when the amount of toner in a toner storage section of a developing section of a copying machine falls below a certain amount (toner empty).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An overview of an entire copying machine which is generally used at present is shown in FIG. 6. The operation of the copying machine will be briefly described below. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the body drum 12, and the developing unit 13 makes the electrostatic latent image a visible image.

The visible image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 12 is transferred onto the transfer paper 23 sent from the cassette 14 by the transfer charger 15, passes through the transport section 16, and is transferred by the fixing section 17 to the transfer paper 23. The visible image transferred to is fixed by heat and sent to the paper discharge tray 18.

Around the photosensitive drum 12, a cleaning unit 19 for cleaning the toner and dust remaining on the photosensitive drum 12 and a charge removing unit 2 for the photosensitive drum 12 are provided.
0, a charging section 21, a toner storage section 1 for replenishing toner to the developing section 13, a toner replenishing member 6 and the like are provided.

Further, as a replenishing device for replenishing the toner of the developing material to the developing section 13, conventionally, a replenishing device having a structure shown in FIG. 7 has been used. 7A is a perspective view showing the outline thereof, and FIG. 7B is a vertical sectional view thereof.

In the above figure, 1 is a toner storage unit,
The toner developer is inserted into the developing unit 13 via the toner supply member 6. A toner replenishment opening 2 is used to replenish toner to the toner storage unit 1. Reference numeral 5 is a toner stirring member for stirring the developer such as toner in the toner storage unit 1 to make it uniform.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional toner replenishing device, the toner stirring member stops the stirring motion at the same time when the copying machine becomes toner empty, but the stop position is unspecified.

Therefore, when toner is replenished from the toner cartridge 8 when the position is stopped at a position perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the toner stirring member 5 interferes with the replenishment of toner and the toner is stored in the toner storage unit 1. There was a problem that it overflowed.

That is, as shown in FIG. 8, it is assumed that in the state of FIG. 8A, the toner becomes empty and the stirring member 5 is stopped. At this time, when the toner replenishing opening 2 is opened to replenish the toner from the toner cartridge 8 to the toner storage portion 1 as shown in FIG. 8B, the toner stirring member 5 is replenished as shown in FIG. 8C. Becomes an obstacle and the toner is stored in the toner storage unit 1
Overflows outside.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a toner agitating member at a specific position (generally, a position perpendicular to a horizontal plane) when toner is replenished from a toner cartridge to a toner storage unit. ), The first means is to interlock with the lid of the toner replenishing opening of the toner storage unit integrally, and by opening this lid, an arm for pushing the rib clockwise is rotated. The rib is provided concentrically with the toner stirring member via a clutch to move and stop the toner stirring member to a specific position perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

As a second means, a detector for detecting the position of the toner stirring member is provided in the toner storage unit, and when the toner empty signal is issued, the position of the toner stirring member is detected and stopped on the motor side. A signal is sent so that the toner stirring member is moved and stopped at a specific position perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

[0012]

With the toner replenishing device as described above, when the toner is replenished to the toner replenishing device at the time of toner emptying, it is possible to stop the movement of the toner stirring member to a specific horizontal position, and the toner is stored in the toner storage unit. It is possible to prevent it from overflowing to the outside.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of a toner replenishing device according to claim 2 of the present invention, and FIG. 1 (a) is a schematic front view and FIG.
1B is a partial plan view of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is an explanatory view showing a state of movement of the arm 3 and the rib 4 when the toner replenishing opening 2 is opened. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the rib 4 and the toner stirring member 5, respectively.

When the electrostatic copying machine using the toner replenishing device of the present invention is continuously used and the toner becomes empty and it becomes necessary to replenish the toner in the toner storage unit 1, the toner is first replenished. The apparatus is taken out of the main body of the copying machine, and the toner replenishing opening 2 is opened. At this time, since the toner replenishing opening 2 and the arm 3 are integrally provided, by opening the toner replenishing opening 2, the rib 4 is moved clockwise by the arm 3 as shown in FIG. 1C. Push it around.

At this time, since the rib 4 and the toner stirring member 5 are concentrically provided via the clutch, the toner stirring member 5 is pushed clockwise in conjunction with the rib 4 and is almost rotated with respect to the horizontal plane. Stop in a vertical position. Therefore, when replenishing the toner from the toner cartridge 8 to the toner storage unit 1, as shown in FIG. 8C, the toner does not overflow the stirring member 5 and the toner storage unit 1 does not overflow. The toner can be surely replenished to No. 1. Reference numeral 6 is a toner replenishing roller for sending toner to the developing unit 13.

Next, FIG. 4 is a front view of the outline of the toner replenishing device according to the third aspect of the present invention, which is characterized by replacing the rib 4 and the arm 3 of the invention shown in FIG. 1 with the toner. A detector 7 for detecting the rotational position of the toner stirring member 5 is provided at the bottom of the storage unit 1, and the detector 7 is actuated at the same time when the toner empty signal is transmitted.
Is to stop at a position perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

The operation of this apparatus will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. When the amount of toner in the toner storage unit 1 decreases as the copying machine continues to be used and toner needs to be replenished to the toner storage unit 1, a toner empty signal is transmitted (S ₁ ) and the detector 7 immediately Works.

When the toner stirring member 5 reaches a position vertical to the horizontal plane, the detector 7 detects this and sends a rotation stop signal to the motor side rotating the toner stirring member 5 (S ₂ and Figure S ₂ ).

Further, the toner stirring member 5 rotates to 180 °.
When the toner agitating member 5 rotates to the vertical position, the rotation motor of the toner agitating member 5 stops, and the toner agitating member 5 also stops at the vertical position (S
_3), the toner ene Putei is satisfied (S _4), the operation of the copying machine also stops the machine stop (S _5).

Therefore, when the toner replenishing device is taken out of the main body of the copying machine (S ₆ ) and the toner is replenished from the toner cartridge 8 (S ₇ ), the toner is replenished from the toner cartridge 8 to the toner storage unit 1. In addition, the toner can be surely replenished without disturbing the toner stirring member 5.

[0021]

As described above, in the toner replenishing device of the present invention, the toner stirring member is moved and stopped at a specific position vertical to the horizontal plane so that the toner can be replenished surely at the time of toner emptying. Therefore, when the toner is replenished from the toner cartridge to the toner storage portion, the toner does not overflow from the toner storage portion, and efficient replenishment can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a toner replenishing device according to claim 2 of the present invention, and FIG. 1 (a) is a schematic front view of a toner storage unit,
FIG. 1B is a partial plan schematic diagram, and FIG. 1C is an operation schematic explanatory diagram.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rib 4 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the toner stirring member 5 of FIG.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of claim 3 of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart of the operation of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the entire copying machine.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a conventional toner supply device.
7A is a perspective view thereof, and FIG. 7B is a schematic front view thereof.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a situation in which toner is replenished to the toner replenishing device of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Toner Storage Section 2 Toner Replenishment Opening Area 3 Arm 4 Rib 5 Toner Stirring Member 7 Detector

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A toner replenishing device comprising means for moving and stopping a toner stirring member to a specific position where toner replenishment can be reliably performed when replenishing toner from a toner cartridge to a toner storage section. 2. A means for moving and stopping the toner agitating member to a specific position: integrated with an opening for toner replenishment of a toner storage unit, and by providing this opening, the rib is rotated clockwise. The toner according to claim 1, further comprising: an arm that pushes the toner agitating member; and a rib that is provided concentrically with the toner agitating member via a clutch and that moves and stops the toner agitating member perpendicularly to a horizontal plane. Supply device. 3. A means for moving and stopping the toner agitating member to a specific position detects the rotational position of the toner agitating member and agitates the toner in the storage unit so that the toner agitating member stops perpendicularly to the horizontal plane at the time of toner empty. The toner replenishing device according to claim 1, further comprising a member position detector.